Bill Analysis
This bill would modify the Code of Criminal Procedure relating to the disclosure of certain information. If this bill passes, an application for compensation under the Crime Victims Compensation Act and any information, document, summary, or other record provided to the attorney general would not be subject to disclosure. Under current law, if a crime victim is compensated for pecuniary loss arising from criminally injurious conduct, their compensation is subject to public information laws. If this bill passes, that information would still be public, but the application and its contents would be not subject to disclosure, except through subpoena in which case the attorney general may only disclose the form submitted by the applicant with all confidential information redacted.
Vote Recommendation Notes
We support the individual’s right to privacy, and it is well within the role of government to ensure that sensitive documents that have been submitted to the government are not released to the public. Conversely, we believe that transparency must be a high priority whenever public funds are expended. Because of these conflicting principles, we remain neutral on SB 843.
